Thompson Still ‘Waiting to See the Count’

Bill Thompson vowed to stay in the race for mayor Sunday, echoing comments he has made since Tuesday’s primary.

Mr. Thompson repeatedly said he would stay in the race for mayor as he made his way from the 12th Annual African American Day parade breakfast to his role as grand marshal marching up Adam Clayton Powell Jr. Boulevard in Harlem.

“We’ll see. As I said, right now, we’re waiting to see the count,” Mr. Thompson said before the 12th Annual African American Day parade breakfast at Harlem Tavern in Harlem. “I think the first step is the Board of Elections; they’re still doing the machine recanvass. We’ll see where that is and go from there.”

Mr. Thompson, the former city comptroller, had until Friday at midnight to tell the Board of Elections that he wasn’t interested in pursuing a runoff against public advocate Bill de Blasio.

So far Mr. de Blasio is above the 40% threshold needed to avoid a runoff with Mr. Thompson, according to unofficial tallies by the city Board of Elections. Paper ballots will start being opened Monday, and an official result is expected later this week.

“There are still a number of people who are telling me to hang in there, who are telling me let’s see where the ballots are, who are saying that every ballot should be counted and every voice should be heard,” Mr. Thompson said. “There are a lot of people who are saying that also.”

Mr. Thompson said “a couple” of people have told him to drop out but “most of my supporters remain very firm.”

Rep. Charles Rangel echoed calls for a full vote count. “You simply cannot have a winner of a race without all the votes being counted,” Mr. Rangel said.

Mr. de Blasio – flanked by his wife Chirlane and daughter Chiara — joined the parade for 11 blocks while riding on a healthcare workers union float. He said there had been “constant, positive” communication between his and Mr. Thompson’s camps regarding the primary outcome.

“We felt great on election night with the number we got and we think that number’s going to hold,” Mr. de Blasio said. “We respect, though, the right of anyone who wants the fuller count, that’s fine.”

Scott Stringer — who will be on the Democratic ticket in November after besting former governor Eliot Spitzer Tuesday — would not take sides on the voting issue, but said he was concerned about a fractured party.

“I’m not telling people what to do because everyone has to arrive at their own conclusion,” Mr. Stringer said. “I do think it’s important that we Democrats come together as one and start thinking seriously about the November election, which will be competitive.”

Mr. Stringer called Mr. Thompson “a friend” but repeated multiple times that it’s Mr. de Blasio who is the one “building momentum and bringing people together.”

“He’s certainly the person to watch right now,” Mr. Stringer said of Mr. de Blasio.